Everything You Need to Know About Shipping Fragile Items

What are fragile items? Well, it includes glass, ceramics, electronics, picture frames, decorations, and wires to name a few.

Basically, everything that’s delicate, breakable, or bendable falls under the category of fragile. It is not restricted to glass items only. Anything prone to scratching, bending, or scuffing is fragile.

E-commerce businesses are very concerned when it comes to packing and shipping fragile goods. They want durable, sturdy, and long-lasting packaging. For that, they are ready to pay big bucks.

The thing is that during transit, stacking, or offloading you can't control the fate of your parcels. They will encounter rough handling, bumpy roads, and extreme conditions.

The best you can do is to select the best packaging material, box size, style, and inserts. It makes a hell of a lot of difference and ensures that fragile items reach safely to the customers.

Do you want to know about how to pack fragile items for shipping? Read this blog for more information.

Selecting the Packaging Substrate

Whether it's primary or secondary packaging, material matters the most. It is the backbone of your packaging and decides the fate of your parcels. So it is recommended to wisely choose the packaging substrate.

At Urgent Boxes we offer various packaging substrates (cardboard, rigid, and corrugated). For shipping fragile goods the corrugated material is the best option for all the right reasons. It is unparalleled when it comes to strength, durability, and sturdiness.

Let us talk about its structural design. Corrugated is a wavy or zig-zag pattern sandwiched between two liner boards. The wavy pattern is called a flute. The box strength depends upon the flute size. A larger flute means the box is thick and strong enough to bear pressure.

Corrugated boxes vary in their size, style, and strength. E-commerce businesses can customize shipping boxes according to the product size, weight, and quantity.

Different Types of Flutes

How do you identify the corrugated boxes? Fluting is the best way to recognize the shipping boxes. It is a wavy or zig-zag design sandwiched between two paperboards. It strengthens the box and makes it strong and durable.

The flute thickness determines the strength, rigidity, and shelf life of the box. It also determines its capability to withstand extreme pressure and weight. Let us take a look at the Understand Flutes in Corrugated Boxes

• A-Flute: It is the thickest of all and is perfect for shipping fragile goods. It is known for its stiffness, rigidity, and cushioning effect. Its excellent insulation property protects the enclosed items from sudden temperature changes.
• C-Flute: Do you want to ship furniture, dairy, or glass products? The C-flute is the best because of its excellent stacking strength and crushing resistance. It is the most widely used flute size so 80% of the corrugated boxes are made of the C-flute.
• B-Flute: It is good for packing food, retail, and canned goods. Besides, it offers a great customization margin thus it is easy to print. B-flute is known for its puncture and crush-resistant properties and takes less storage space.
• E-Flute: It is good for shipping cosmetics, delicate instruments, and fragile glass. It is thin and flat and is perfect for printing and die-cutting.

In a nutshell, for shipping fragile items the C-flute is commonly used. It offers great strength and cushioning effect. Thus there is no chance of product damage.

What is the importance of the box size?

For shipping select the box size slightly larger than the items. The thing is that the best size boxes provide top-notch protection for fragile items. If the box is too large the products tend to float or shift around.

But, if the box is too small the items jostle or bump into one another. Thus the items get damaged during the transit.

So, it's better to select a slightly larger box size.

What is the best box style for sending promotional or gift items?

Customized packaging is an elaborative concept. It fulfills the diverse packaging needs and supports small and large businesses.

Are you looking for a stylish shipping box? Get your hands on custom mailer boxes. It is a one-piece tuck front double wall box. It is easy to open and close and offers the utmost ease to the customers.

The mailer packaging is a two-in-one box. It is used for both shipping and retail purposes. The double wall feature makes it shock and pressure-resistant packaging. It can withstand rough handling, extreme weight, and bumpy roads. In the end, the boxes reach safely without wear and tear, crumbling, or damage.

Also, it offers a limitless customization margin. You can print any color, image, text, or design and embellish it with surface laminates, finishes, or add-ons.

Last but not least, you can go the extra mile with inside printing. It adds a “wow” element and provides an immersive unboxing experience.

Use of Cushioning Material

Do you want to prevent your items from scratches and dents? Wrap the items with paper and you are good to go.

Next, we have the bubble wraps. The larger the bubbles the greater the protection. It secures the items and protects them from damage. Use the bubble sheets according to the item's size, weight, and quantity. If the product is delicate and fragile use more sheets.

Bubbles wrap are cost-effective, lightweight, easy to use, and time-saving. The best part is that the bubble wraps are fun to pop!

How you can fill the void spaces in the box?

As stated earlier the shipping box is slightly larger compared to the item. Place the bubble-wrapped items at the center and now check the void space.

The shipping containers should be spacious and roomy. Tight packaging damages the product, creates suffocation and undermines the unboxing.

So void spaces are a must. You can fill the empty space with the following

• Biodegradable Packing Peanuts: It is environmentally friendly, affordable, and lightweight.
• Air Pillows or Bags: It provide a great cushioning effect and protects fragile items during shipping. It secures the packaging and fills up the empty spaces.
• Crumbled Paper: Do you want to make the best use of old newspapers, magazines, or waste paper? Turn it into a ball and fill the empty spaces or holes. The best part is that it is affordable and protects the items without increasing the box’s weight.
• Shredded Paper: Take paper sheets and cut them into shreds. Opt for colorful sheets and make your cardboard shipping boxes visually attractive and engaging. Shredded paper is a pocket-friendly option to fill up the box. It adds a wow factor and protects the packaging as well.
• Foam Inserts: It is a versatile box organizer. Foam inserts are used for packing high-end, delicate, and heavy products. It includes electronics, crockery, glass items, and decoration pieces. Foam inserts are lightweight, flexible, and soft. They are customizable to any shape or size.
• Cardboard Partitions: Custom boxes with inserts are a game-changer thing. It divides, strengthens, and organizes the box. It makes the packaging spacious, secure, and damage-resistant. Place as many items as you want without worrying about the quality. Inserts provide an extra layer of protection making the fragile packaging shock, pressure, and temperature resistant.

Outside the Box

The outside of the box is as important as the inside. As a matter of fact, outside is the first thing the handlers and carriers notice. Hence the shipping boxes should be well packed and labeled. So let us dig into the details

Packing Tape

Have you assembled the box and placed the fragile items? Perfect! Now it is time to seal the box. Grab the plastic or paper tape and you are good to go.

Plastic tape is moisture-resistant and ideal for packing heavy items. So, paper tape is practical and eco-friendly. In short, both are excellent options.

Most importantly, don’t go overboard with the tapes. Excessive tapes look unpleasant and undermine the unboxing experience. It is time-consuming, frustrating, and damages the box.

But, for heavier items use a enough amount of tape. It secures the fragile packaging and prevents the box from opening, collapsing, or crumbling.

Print the Safety Symbols or Signs

What is inside the box? Is it fragile? Need to to print the warning signs and packaging symbols on the box. It makes the packaging for fragile items informative and secure.

The most common sign is the broken glass. It tells the carriers to handle the package with the utmost care. Thus the items remain secure during transportation, storage, and handling.

Conclusion

Urgent Boxes is a professional and experienced box supplier. We are the one-stop shop for all your packaging needs. Whether you want mailer, shipping, or retail boxes you can count on us. We offer the best packaging for fragile items at affordable prices. Choose us and get your boxes customized by our experts. 100% client satisfaction guaranteed!

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What kinds of items are considered fragile and need special shipping precautions?

Any material that is easily prone to damage, bending, or breaking is called fragile. It includes electronics, furniture, crockery, glass, and laboratory equipment. Also, beverages and solutions that have a high chance of spilling or leaking also fall into this category. In short, fragile items are delicate and brittle and need top-notch protection.

Q2. How can I effectively pack fragile items to prevent damage during transit?

Use corrugated boxes, foam inserts, dividers, air pillows, shredded paper, or packing peanuts. Most importantly, use durable tape and safety symbols or stickers. It makes the packaging informative so the carriers handle it with the utmost care.

Q3. Are there specific packaging materials that work best for shipping fragile items?

Yes, of course. Corrugated boxes are used for shipping heavy, delicate, and fragile items. But, for retail purposes mailer boxes are the best. It is visually attractive, presentable, functional, and durable.

Q4. Are there any extra steps I can take to ensure safe shipping of delicate or valuable items?

Select the box size slightly larger than the product. Wrap the products in bubble wrap or paper and place them inside the box. Next, fill the space with inserts, crinkle paper, peanut packs, or air pillows. It secures the packaging and provides a cushioning effect. Most importantly, properly label the boxes before dispatching. Use “Fragile” or “handle with care” stickers to avoid any product damage.